Högskolan i Halmstad
School of Humanities
English 61-90
Beloved as a Good Object
A Kleinian Reading of Toni Morrison‟s Beloved
Camilla Stenlöv
C-essay
Supervisor: Joakim Jahlmar
Stenlöv 2
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
3
2.
Psychoanalysis and Object Relations Theory
6
3.
Sethe‟s Attitude towards and Relationship with Beloved
8
4.
Paul D‟s Attitude towards and Relationship with Beloved
10
5.
Denver‟s Attitude towards and Relationship with Beloved
12
6.
Beloved‟s Need for Love and Identity
16
7.
Conclusion
18
Works Cited
21
Stenlöv 3
1. Introduction
A historical incident involving a fugitive slave who killed her own daughters in 1856 inspired
Toni Morrison to write Beloved (1987), which has a similar story. In an article, Theresa N.
Washington retells the historical incident about the slave, Margaret Garner, who killed her
daughters because she did not want them to “know what a woman suffers as a slave” (177). In
Morrison‟s novel, Sethe, who is also a slave and a mother, kills her daughter, Beloved.
Washington argues that slave mothers are not “tormented mothers” who are “destroying their
progeny” (175), but instead, these women, to quote Sethe, are placing them “where they‟d be
safe” (175). This instinct of protection shows the strong bond between a mother and a child.
Sethe has not lived a happy life after the incident with Beloved. A chance for Sethe to come to
terms with the past happens eighteen years after her daughter‟s death, when a grown woman
stands outside her house. The woman calls herself Beloved and she wants to live there with
Sethe. Mystery surrounds this woman who bears the same name as Sethe‟s daughter. In her
article, Washington describes Beloved as “human and spirit; recognized and dis-remembered;
other and self” (182).
There are elements of spirituality in Beloved and the novel is influenced by magical
realism. People in the community accept things such as spirits and ghosts as a natural part of
everyday life. Consequently, the grown Beloved can be seen as a reincarnation of the dead
child or as another woman who has lost her mother. The story jumps in time and is presented
in fragments from different characters‟ perspectives, which show that everybody around
Beloved is somehow affected by her appearance. With Beloved‟s entry, the relations develop
between the characters. They show envy, jealousy, greed and love but Sethe shows too much
love, which is devastating. When Sethe kills her daughter, she intends to kill her two sons too,
but she is stopped and imprisoned. The act is made out of love and Sethe prefers to take her
children‟s lives rather than to let them belong to a slave owner. Sethe manages to run away
Stenlöv 4
even though she is at the end of a pregnancy. During the escape, Sethe‟s daughter Denver is
born and they start a new life at 124 Bluestone Road. Since then, the house has been haunted
by a ghost, which they believe is Beloved. When the mysterious woman stands outside
Sethe‟s house, they believe that she is a reincarnation of Beloved. With Beloved‟s arrival, the
earlier sadness in the house is gone and Beloved becomes very important to Sethe and
Denver, who want to please her in every way that they can.
Another important character in the novel is Paul D, who is an old friend and a fugitive
slave, and he comes back into Sethe‟s life. He moves into her house and they soon become
lovers. It does not take much time, however, before the family falls apart, due to Beloved‟s
intrusion. She plays different roles for each character and becomes someone they need. In
some relations, Beloved can be seen as “good object”, which is a term within object relations
theory.
Psychologist David Hiles explains that “good object” in object relations theory
describes the first relation an infant instinctively feels is satisfying (3). Object relations theory
was developed by Melanie Klein (1882-1960) and it is a theory within psychoanalysis, which
in turn originates from Sigmund Freud. According to Hiles, Klein argues that a child‟s first
relation is with its mother and her breast, which give the infant pleasure. Therefore, both can
be defined as good objects (4). The goal for a person is to find objects that generate pleasure,
also in later relations. In contrast, a “bad object” does not give pleasure, e.g. a rival of
someone‟s love or a breast that is taken away. Hiles explains that “the innate conflict between
love and hate leads to the internalization of good objects and bad objects. Such conflict is
essential for normal enrichment and growth of the personality and strengthening of the ego”
(4). According to Hiles, “a distinction needs to be made between the good and idealized
object. An extremely deep split usually occurs between an idealized object and an extremely
bad object” (4). Idealization of a good object is closely linked to envy and other qualities as
Stenlöv 5
frustration, destructiveness, guilt and persecution. Beloved persecutes Sethe and wants to be
in the same room all the time. She has no experiences of normal growth and love, and I would
argue that she tries to establish the bond that usually exists between mother and daughter.
In a Kleinian reading of Beloved, the relationships between the characters can be
analyzed and they can be seen as good or bad objects to each other. In the novel, some of the
characters create an idealized picture of Beloved, but the question is whether she is a good
object to any of them. Beloved plays different roles in the family and this essay will focus on
the bonds and relationships between her, Paul D, Denver and Sethe. The main question is how
Beloved can be seen as a good object to them and in which ways the characters can be seen as
good or bad objects. Do the characters only think of their own pleasure when they make an
idealized picture of someone else? My thesis is that Beloved functions as a good object, but
that she only plays different roles while she uses Paul D, Denver and Sethe for her own
purposes.
The text of Beloved will be analyzed with a Kleinian and Freudian approach in order
to show how the characters see each other as good or bad objects. The essay begins with an
explanation of terms and a short presentation of psychoanalysis and object relations theory.
Thereafter, each main character and their relation to Beloved will be examined and discussed,
as well as their relation to each other.
Stenlöv 6
2. Psychoanalysis and Object Relations Theory
According to literary theorist Michael Ryan, psychoanalysis deals with the unconscious and
the conscious in the human brain, while object relations theory deals with relations and
“emphasizes the internalization of relations to others as a formative force that creates the self”
(35-36). Psychoanalysis can help explain the characters‟ different actions and behavior.
Psychologist Stephen A. Mitchell explains that “object was the term chosen by Freud to
designate the target of the drives, the „other,‟ real or imaginary, toward whom the drive is
directed” (374). A difference between Freud and Klein is shown by Ryan, who explains that
while
Freudianism emphasized the expression of unconscious material, object
relations theory emphasizes the internalization of relations to others as a
formative force that creates the self. An initial symbiotic relationship with
parents evolves into relations of mature independence from them, and this
occurs through the development of a sense of object constancy, an ability to live
in a stable world of objects to which one relates without anxieties about
separation or fusion. (36).
To reach satisfaction and to avoid feelings of anxiety, people have desire for
something or someone, a good object. This is what Freud called “the pleasure principle” (3).
According to Mitchell, Freud and Klein argue that “the fundamental aim of the impulse is still
satisfaction – the object is a means toward that end” (383). When a child searches for good
objects, it does so because that strengthens its ego and Hiles explains that this internalization
“is important for the development of psychic structure and mental functioning” (3). As
mentioned earlier, the first object for an infant is the mother‟s breast, a good object, which
Stenlöv 7
later becomes a desire for the child. Sometimes, the breast is taken away, which creates an
inner conflict in the child between good and bad objects. The conflict causes anxieties within
the child, who needs to use his/her early lack of cohesion as a defense. Freud explains that
“anxiety in children is originally nothing other than an expression of the fact that they are
feeling the loss of the person they love” (223). This is similar to Klein‟s view, and Hiles
explains that “for Klein, complications of ego growth stem from idealization, persecutory
anxiety, frustration caused by absences and loss, and fear of annihilation” (4).
According to Hiles, object relations theory also involves “splitting, which is a
primitive mental mechanism” (3). Splitting helps the human psyche to distinguish between
non-pleasurable and pleasurable aspects of an object. Already when a child is an infant,
he/she copies strategies from others, usually adults, and tries to learn how to cope with
anxiety (4). Beloved does not have a mother to copy strategies from. Neither does she know
how to behave as a normal adult, but she knows how to repress her feelings in order to gain
pleasure. Freud‟s ideas of repressed feelings are explained by the literary theorist Terry
Eagleton, who argues “that we must repress some of our tendencies to pleasure and
gratification” and that “we are prepared to put up with repression as long as we see that there
is something in it for us” (131-132). What Beloved wants is a strong relation with her mother,
which was something she did not receive as a child. She did not leave Sethe out of her own
free will and she has searched for her for a long time.
Psychologist Duane P. Schultz and Sydney Ellen Schultz point out that “the most
crucial issues in personality development are the increasing ability and need of the child, over
time, to break free from the primary object (the mother) in order to establish a strong sense of
self and to develop relations with other objects (people)” (323). The primary object is the one
who provides for the infant‟s emotional and material needs; normally it is his/her mother. If
the child is not provided with this, he/she feels frustration. Another psychologist who explains
Stenlöv 8
this part in Klein‟s theory is David Bell. He argues that “the child develops a highly idealized
relationship with this psychic object, who is felt to be quite distinct from another object that is
not available and is thus frustrating. This latter object is, consequently, felt to be hateful and is
hated” (Bell 10). This hated object could be defined as a bad object. In the novel, we notice
this thin line between love and hate and the difficulties the characters have to deal with this.
According to Schultz and Schultz, in situations of anxiety, people use different defense
mechanisms and they can show e.g. denial, repression, displacement or regression (323).
An early separation from the mother leads to feelings of anxiety or neurotic behavior
within the child. Ryan explains that it is important in object relations theory to establish bonds
between a child and others, because these relationships help to create her/his self and to
handle anxiety (37). Another boundary is when people feel love for another person and then,
often, make an idealized picture of the other. Therefore, it is interesting to explore the
characters in Morrison‟s novel since they all have different expectations of the other
characters and show both love and defense strategies.
3. Sethe‟s Attitude towards and Relationship with Beloved
When Sethe sees Beloved outside the house, she has to run to the outhouse because her
bladder is “filled to capacity” (Morrison 51). The feeling she experiences is the same as when
she gave birth to her children and something that she cannot resist. At the same time, Beloved
drinks a lot of water, which is similar to the thirst of a suckling child. These events indicate a
mother-daughter relationship, although Sethe does not bluntly say that she believes that
Beloved is resurrected from the dead and has returned as her daughter.
The strong relationship between the child and the mother is shown by Beloved‟s
actions, because she always wants to be close to Sethe. When Sethe comes home from work,
Beloved meets her on the road back to the house. Sethe seems to appreciate the adoration and
Stenlöv 9
“[she is] flattered by Beloved‟s open quiet devotion. The same adoration from her daughter
(had it been forthcoming) would have annoyed her; made her chill at the thought of having
raised a ridiculously dependent child. But the company of this sweet, if peculiar, guest pleased
her the way a zealot pleases his teacher” (57). These lines show that Sethe appreciates being
treated as a “good object” by Beloved, and in turn, Beloved becomes a good object to Sethe.
Beloved is the daughter Sethe never had the chance to bring up to be a grown woman. As a
mother, Sethe feels that she is supposed to bring up and love her child, but eighteen years ago,
she did not dare to take that chance.
Since Beloved‟s death, Sethe has not lived a happy life and it takes a while before she
dares to believe that it really is Beloved who has come back. Sethe “can look at things again
because she‟s here to see them too,” which seems to please her (201). All the things a mother
is supposed to do for her child is now within reach. They have a lot of catching up to do,
which gives Sethe a new goal. This is a new chance to show her love for Beloved. Sethe
wants to start a new happy life and thinks about Beloved as “BELOVED, she my daughter.
She mine” (200). According to literary critic Barbara A. Schapiro, the word “mine” in Sethe‟s
monologue suggests a “sort of possession and incorporation of the other as an object” (203).
Denver and Beloved also use the word “mine” in their monologues, viewing the other as
someone they want for themselves. In relation to object relations theory, Denver and Beloved
show possession of and desire for a good object, in this case for Sethe, whom they believe
will give them pleasure.
The way Sethe treats her daughters differs, because she allows Beloved to behave
childishly and selfishly, but not Denver. Sethe seems to be blind to Beloved‟s strange
behavior and she finds excuses for it, but not if Denver acts similarly. One example is when
the others ask questions about where Beloved has received her new shoes, and she shouts, “I
take the shoes! I take the dress! The shoe strings don‟t fix!” (65). A grown woman ought to be
Stenlöv 10
able to tie her shoe laces, but Beloved cannot do that. Also, her choice of words often shows
that she does not know grammatical rules yet. Usually, a mother corrects the child‟s language,
but Sethe does not. Instead, she shows gratitude for having Beloved by her side again.
The term gratitude, which Hiles explains is “closely linked with the trust in good
figures” (8), is needed in Klein‟s theory. The basis of gratitude is enjoyment and a “feeling of
unity with another person” (8). The feelings of gratitude, unity and joy contribute to the
picture Sethe has of Beloved as an ideal object. Furthermore, gratitude is also “closely bound
up with generosity” (8), which can explain why Sethe does not correct Beloved. Usually, a
mother corrects and teaches her child how to behave. Either Sethe does not want to end up in
a conflict with Beloved or she is too happy to argue about such small things. The happiness
turns into depression when Beloved takes control of the whole family. Sethe‟s depression
makes her too weak to understand that the good object has turned into a bad object. Literary
critic Lynda Koolish explains that “Sethe expected to find absolution, forgiveness,
understanding, but instead is offered accusatory censure” (436). The idealized image of a
loving daughter and a whole family makes Sethe blind for the truth. Beloved will always be a
good object for her, which points to a strong mother and child relationship.
4. Paul D‟s Attitude towards and Relationship with Beloved
Paul D has always loved Sethe and he wants to protect her from all bad. He soon realizes that
there is something wrong with Beloved, because she is shining and Paul D does not like that.
Paul D cannot understand why the others do not see the same. This shows that he does not see
Beloved as a good object from the beginning. He is the only one questioning why Beloved is
living in the house, and he asks questions about her past, but Beloved cannot provide any
clear answers. This and Sethe‟s attraction to Beloved are frustrating to him and he shows
signs of jealousy and low self-esteem.
Stenlöv 11
According to object relations theory, “jealousy is based on envy, but involves a
relation to at least two other people. It pertains to a triangular (oedipal) relationship, i.e. it is
whole-object oriented” (Hiles 5). The triangular relationship here is that Paul D is in love with
Sethe, who is his ideal object, and Sethe shows love for Beloved. Paul D is worried that Sethe
will leave him for Beloved‟s sake. He loves Sethe, but Beloved requires Sethe‟s whole
attention, and therefore, Beloved is a rival to him. Hiles explains that “unresolved jealousy
can lead to the impossibility of forming meaningful relationships and lack of maturity of ego
and Self” (5). Paul D wishes to have a meaningful relationship with Sethe, but his jealousy
prevents such a development. In discussions about Beloved, Sethe takes Beloved‟s part,
which shows that Beloved is more important to her. Besides, Paul D wants to be the one who
gives Sethe joy and happiness, and to receive the same. He wants Beloved out of the house,
“but Sethe had let her in and he couldn‟t put her out of a house that wasn‟t his” (Morrison 66).
It is difficult for him to find his place in the house, since he is not the owner and the three
women are so strong together.
Somehow, Beloved moves him but he cannot understand why and he starts to sleep in
the rocker at nights instead of next to Sethe. This sleeplessness shows his uneasiness. Beloved
seduces him when he moves into a cold room in the garden. He tries to make her leave, but
she refuses and says, “you have to touch me. On the inside part. And you have to call me my
name” (117). When Beloved is naked and shows that she is willing to have sex with him, he is
unable to resist this beautiful woman. In that moment, Paul D feels desire for her and she
becomes a good object to him. He also feels pleasure, but at the same time, he hates her
because of what she is doing to him. This can be seen as an example of what Hiles describes
as a splitting between a bad object and an idealized object (4). Paul D and Beloved seem to be
interlocked in a sexual power play, where he is the weakest part. Their sexual relation is
different to the relation between a mother and a child, but also to the relation Paul wants to
Stenlöv 12
have with Sethe. Paul feels guilt and shame for what he is doing to Sethe, the woman he truly
loves, but he tries to forget these uncomfortable thoughts. Gradually, this guilt inside him
drives him farther away from the house. When Paul D is away from the house, Beloved stops
to visit him at nights, which shows that Beloved only wants the rival out in order to be at the
center of Sethe‟s love. Paul D has only been used by her, and when Beloved is gone, Paul is
relieved.
5. Denver‟s Attitude towards and Relationship with Beloved
Denver is frustrated over the isolated existence she and her mother have at 124 Bluestone
Road. In a conversation with Sethe, Denver says, “I can‟t live here. I don‟t know where to go
or what to do, but I can‟t live here. Nobody speaks to us. Nobody comes by . . . It‟s not the
house. It‟s us! And it‟s you!” (Morrison 14). One good explanation to this statement is given
by literary critic Olivia McNeely Pass, who writes that “the ghost and Sethe‟s isolation clearly
symbolize Sethe‟s rejection of Beloved‟s death, a rejection that places Denver and Seethe
sadly alone, unable to accept reality” (119). To live outside the community is not easy for an
eighteen-year-old woman, and it is obvious that Denver wants something more out of life.
The only time she sees another sort of life is when she studies for a short period and meets
some other children. Denver enjoys the school, but soon realizes that the other children avoid
her, and then, she chooses to stay at home. Consequently, she has few relations to other
people, which indirectly lead to a weak self where she is more dependent on her mother.
When Paul D arrives, Denver becomes lonelier. First he drives the ghost away, which
is “the only other company” (19) she has, and then he monopolizes Sethe‟s attention. This
explains clearly why Denver feels lonely and sad because everyone who means something to
her is taken away.
Stenlöv 13
Earlier, Sethe envelops Denver in love, but when Beloved arrives Sethe‟s attention
goes to her. The appearance of Beloved‟s spirit is something that Denver notices as soon as
she meets Beloved outside their house and “she [looks] at this sleepy beauty and [wants]
more” (53). Denver shows desire for Beloved, and she does not want to share Beloved‟s
company with Sethe. As a result, Beloved becomes a good object to Denver, who wants a
sister to tell secrets to and to fill the long lonely days with. By telling stories of Sethe, Denver
is “nursing Beloved‟s interest like a lover whose pleasure [is] to overfeed the loved” (78), but
she does not realize that she is only being used by Beloved. Denver shows love for Beloved
and she hopes to receive the same love in return. It is not difficult to understand that Denver
needs a friend, and that Beloved therefore becomes a good object.
Isolation from society can affect a person‟s mental state and it is clear that Denver
feels lonely and sad. Sometimes, she shows happiness, for instance when Beloved starts to
dance with her. In that moment, Denver feels something like “dizziness, or feeling light and
icy at once” (74). Her thoughts show that she enjoys the dance and the company. It does not
seem as if she has experienced such a feeling of joy very often.
Sethe tells Denver and Beloved stories, but “Denver [hates] the stories her mother
[tells] that [does] not concern herself” (62). This indicates selfish thinking. When Beloved
asks Sethe questions about the past, she willingly responds. She is rarely willing to answer
Denver‟s questions. In addition, it seems important to Denver to be at the center of the family,
but now she has to share this place with Beloved. Denver shows envy and jealousy because
she is no longer the only one receiving attention and love from Sethe. Instead Sethe‟s love and
attention goes to Beloved, who shows that she prefers Sethe‟s company over Denver‟s. The
jealousy Denver feels is clearly shown when she says, “she likes him here” to Beloved and
Beloved answers, with a finger in her mouth, “make him go away” (133). This presents an
image of Beloved as a selfish child, who demands Denver to follow her will. The statement
Stenlöv 14
from Denver can be seen as a tactic, because she wants to make Beloved devoted to her rather
than to Sethe.
Although Denver sees Beloved as a good object and not as a selfish child, there is one
occasion that makes Denver suspicious. She witnesses her mother being strangled by
Beloved, but Sethe believes that the action is done by Baby Suggs, the children‟s
grandmother. Sethe‟s explanation of the action is that Baby Suggs probably rubs her neck and
“just got crazy with it” (96). The idea of Beloved as a potential murderer does not strike
Sethe. When Denver later confronts Beloved and accuses her of choking Sethe, Beloved
denies the event. The incident makes Denver distrust Beloved‟s intentions. Although Denver
wants Beloved by herself, she “[is] alarmed by the harm she [thinks] Beloved [plans] for
Sethe” (104). This shows that Denver does not want to lose her mother. The bond between
Denver and Sethe is strong, although Denver does not want to admit it.
According to Hiles, a child often shows signs of fear of being abandoned by its mother
(3). Likewise, Denver shows fear of being abandoned by Sethe. Denver keeps a watchful eye
on Beloved and she tries to feed Sethe with the last food when she is sick. Although Denver is
afraid of the outside world, she leaves the house in order to find help for her mother at a
woman‟s house in the village. This indicates a strong mother and daughter relationship.
Denver also shows uncertainty and she wants to withdraw her accusation against Beloved in
order to make everything good between them again: “blinking fresh tears Denver
[approaches] her – eager for a word, a sign of forgiveness” (Morrison 105). Denver has
convinced herself that Beloved must be innocent, which can be seen as denial. Psychologist
George E. Vaillant explains that denial is a form of defense mechanism that occurs
unconsciously (Vaillant 10). Freud‟s theories of defense mechanisms also involve repression,
splitting, displacement and suppression (9). Denver‟s unconscious denial could depend on her
fear of being abandoned. It is important for her to retain Beloved as a sister and a good object.
Stenlöv 15
On the opposite side of this splitting inside Denver is the non-pleasurable aspect of being
abandoned and alone.
This time, Denver is old enough to protect Beloved from Sethe, but she is also scared
of her mother. One example of this is when Denver says, “I love my mother but I know she
killed one of her own daughters, and tender as she is with me, I‟m scared of her because of it”
(205). Despite her fear, she intends to protect Beloved. This is clearly shown when she thinks
that Beloved is “ready to be taken care of; ready for me to protect her. This time I have to
keep my mother away from her. That‟s hard but, I have to. It‟s all on me” (206). Denver
shows responsibility and acts as a mother instead of Sethe.
Denver wishes that she could see Sethe as a reliable and loving mother, but often,
Sethe is seen as an unreliable and strange mother, and a murderer. The difference between
these two images of Sethe is similar to that between the images of a good object and a bad
object. Distrust is constantly in the background, and Denver knows that she must somehow
warn Beloved. This dilemma is obvious when she thinks, “don‟t love her too much. Don‟t.
Maybe it‟s still in her the thing that makes it all right to kill her children. I have to tell her. I
have to protect her” (206). These lines express how Denver appoints herself a savior and
assumes the role of a mother.
Gradually, Denver learns more about Beloved and notices her greed. Sometimes, she
expresses similar selfishness as Beloved, for example in her objectification of Beloved:
“She‟s mine, Beloved. She‟s mine” (209). Denver claims Beloved as her own property which
presents the image of good object.
At the end of the novel, Beloved‟s greed for food, sugar, love and company drives
Sethe towards her death bed. The only one who can save her from her deadly bond with
Beloved is Denver, who finds courage enough to ask her former teacher for help. Denver
realizes that Beloved is evil and selfish and that it is Sethe who needs to be rescued. This is
Stenlöv 16
the moment when Denver breaks free from her primary object, i.e. her mother. According to
Schultz and Schultz, the ability to break free from a primary object comes early in a child‟s
life, and it is “the most crucial issues in personality development . . . in order to establish a
strong sense of self and to develop relations with other objects (people)” (323). Denver‟s
isolation in 124 Bluestone Road can explain why she has not established relationships with
others or does not have a strong sense of self. Koolish argues that Denver imagines that
Beloved would be her playmate, her soulmate, her best friend, but discovers that the latter,
who is obsessed with Sethe, has no room for Denver in her life (437). Denver‟s self becomes
stronger when her dependency on Beloved has reduced. By that time, Denver realizes that
Beloved is evil, and therefore, she has changed from good object into bad object. Denver
thinks that she understands Beloved‟s obsession for Sethe and “the connection between her
mother and Beloved; Sethe [is] trying to make up for the handsaw; Beloved [is] making her
pay for it” (251).
6. Beloved‟s Need for Love and Identity
In Beloved‟s eyes, Sethe is a good object and she wants to emulate Sethe as much as possible.
Beloved feels that she was abandoned by her mother, the primary object a child recognizes as
a good object, when she was an infant. Since she was separated from her mother at an early
age, there was not time enough to establish the normal mother and daughter relationship and
Beloved has few memories of the past. Beloved wants an explanation because she cannot
understand why she was abandoned. She is searching for her mother and says,
three times I lost her: once with the flowers because of the noisy clouds of
smoke; once when she went into the sea instead of smiling at me; once under the
bridge when I went in to join her and she came toward me but did not smile . . .
Stenlöv 17
Now I have found her in this house. She smiles at me and it is my own face
smiling. I will not lose her again. She is mine. (214).
The smile from the mother is important to Beloved, who claims Sethe‟s love, and this
is something that often occurs between an infant and its mother. Beloved‟s thoughts seem
childish, not like those of an adult. The last words, “she is mine,” show possession, which is
also common among young children (214). These words also indicate what Schapiro calls
“incorporation of the other as an object” (203). Often when a child smiles towards his/her
mother, she smiles back as a mirror image. According to Hiles, this is a feeling of pleasure,
and therefore, there is a strong desire within the child to experience the feeling of pleasure
again (3). The smile is probably something that Beloved recognizes from her childhood as
something that gave her pleasure.
Beloved shows that she has an idealized picture of her mother. At the same time, she
has a problem with creating her own identity as Sethe‟s daughter. One example of her
thoughts about Sethe is when she thinks, “you are my face; I am you. Why did you leave me
who am you?” (Morrison 216). Beloved‟s thoughts are often reminiscent of the speech pattern
of a child and Beloved comes across as someone who has little experience of the world
outside. All the questions she asks Sethe and Denver show her curiosity and desire to
understand her environment. It is important for her to find her own self and her rightful place
as a daughter to someone. She was denied complete reunification and maternal bonding as a
child and she calls for an answer to the question why she was abandoned. Still, Beloved sees
Sethe as a good object, but she rarely shows any kindness to others herself. Behind her
behavior, and in her thoughts, there is often a calculated and selfish side. She does everything
possible to disguise this because her goal is to be loved by her mother and not abandoned
again. Ryan explains that the threat of being abandoned by the primary object is very
Stenlöv 18
powerful to a child (36). Although Beloved is a grown woman, she shows the same anxiety as
a child, for example when her mother is at work. Psychologist David Bell argues that love can
turn into hate if someone is not available (10). When Sethe is not around, Beloved shows
tendencies of hating her.
Beloved also displays jealousy when someone else receives Sethe‟s attention, for
instance Paul D. Her sister Denver has experienced Sethe‟s love throughout her life and that is
also something that Beloved perceives as unfair. She wants all the pleasure that Sethe can
give for herself. In order to drive Paul D away from Sethe, Beloved seduces him, although she
dislikes him. She only uses Denver and Paul D in order to reach her goals, which are to find
her identity and to be loved. It is only Sethe who can give Beloved pleasure, and she is
therefore seen as a good object. Sethe‟s stories and her company give Beloved pleasure. In
contrast, Denver and Paul D‟s company do not satisfy her in the same way, and they can
therefore be seen as bad objects.
Another thing that satisfies Beloved is sugar. The taste of sugar becomes a desire
within Beloved, who cannot have enough. Her greed for sugar and food makes Sethe thinner
and weaker, while Beloved grows thicker. Hiles explains that “greed aims at possession of all
of the goodness that can be extracted from the object, regardless of consequences” (7). There
is no sign of generosity in Beloved and she does not seem to care if the others survive or not,
as long as she has enough.
7. Conclusion
In a Kleinian reading, there is a strong bond in Beloved between mother and daughter. As a
child, Beloved was denied to look into her mother‟s eyes and to receive maternal love. There
was not enough time for Beloved and her mother to establish the strong bond, which usually
Stenlöv 19
exists between a mother and a child. After the killing, Sethe has a problem to deal with reality
and she represses Beloved‟s death.
When the woman Beloved arrives, she becomes a substitute with important roles to
play for the others. She succeeds in playing these different roles and she manages to create
herself as something they all need. In contrast, she has a problem to find her own identity.
For Sethe, the return of the lost daughter is therapeutic, and her grief has influenced
both Denver‟s and her own life for many years. Sethe wants to be forgiven by Beloved and
she sees a new chance to raise and love her daughter. The bond between mother and daughter
is strong, and now, they can build a new relationship. Sethe is able to show her love for
Beloved and to do all the things a mother is supposed to do. Likewise, Sethe‟s happiness and
her statement, “she mine” (200), indicate that Beloved is a good object to her. It is obvious
that Sethe misinterprets Beloved‟s intentions. She refuses to believe that Beloved is capable
of harming anyone and her blindness can be explained by denial, which is a defense
mechanism.
In contrast, Paul D mistrusts Beloved and she is not a good object to him, except when
she seduces him. He sees through her intentions and questions both Sethe‟s and Beloved‟s
behavior. Mostly, Paul D is able to resist her charm, but when she seduces him at nights, he
cannot reject her. In these moments, she becomes a good object, who gives him pleasure.
Afterwards, when he feels guilt, she becomes a bad object and someone he hates. In the night,
Beloved becomes a substitute for Sethe, who is the woman he truly loves, and can be seen as
a good object. According to Schultz and Schultz, when someone redirects his emotions to a
substitute, it is a form of displacement and a defense mechanism (323). This is what Paul D
seems to do, because he does not receive all of Sethe‟s love and attention.
Denver also redirects her emotions from Sethe to Beloved, who plays the role of a
sister. When Beloved moves into the house, Denver‟s need and desire for a sister are fulfilled
Stenlöv 20
and she does not have to be alone any more. Denver cannot get enough of Beloved‟s
company. In a Kleinian reading, Beloved is a good object because she satisfies Denver. This
image changes, however, when Denver realizes that Beloved‟s power over Sethe‟s is killing
her mother.
Beloved searches for love which she hopes to find in her relationship with Sethe. She
plays a role where she acts as if her mother is a good object, but instead she wants to take over
Sethe‟s life and body. It turns out that Beloved cannot forgive Sethe for having abandoned
her, while Denver is more loving and forgiving.
My conclusion is therefore that Beloved becomes someone they have missed. When
they find pleasure with her, she is a good object. The times when Beloved uses her power
over the others in order to please herself, she becomes a bad object. Paul D mistrusts Beloved
from the beginning and does not see anything good in her. During the sexual acts with
Beloved, Paul D wants her body, and those moments, she is a good object. Afterwards, he is
regretful and hates what she is doing to him. At the end of the novel, Denver, Sethe and Paul
D are convinced of Beloved‟s evil. They realize that she is a substitute of someone they
believe would make their life happier.
Stenlöv 21
Works Cited
Bell, David. Psychoanalysis and Culture: A Kleinian Perspective. London, Great Britain:
H. Karnac Ltd, 1999. Print.
Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory An Introduction. 10th edition 2005. Oxford, UK: Blackwell
Publishing, 2005. Print.
Freud, Sigmund. Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality. Ed. and trans. James Strachey.
London: Hogarth Press, 1975. Print.
Hiles, Dave. “Envy, Jealousy, Greed: A Kleinian approach.” Leicester, UK: Psychology
Department, De Montfort University, 2010. 1-17. Psychology Department De
Montfort University. Pdf. Web. 21 Oct 2011.
Koolish, Lynda. “Fictive Strategies and Cinematic Representations in Toni Morrison‟s
Beloved: Postcolonial Theory/Postcolonial Text.” African American Review, Vol. 29,
No. 3 (1995): 421-438. Indiana: Indiana State University: 1995. JSTOR.
Web. 5 Oct 2011.
McNeely Pass, Olivia. “Toni Morrison‟s Beloved: A Journey through the Pain of Grief.” The
Journal of Medical Humanities. Vol. 27, No. 2. Summer 2006: 117-124.
SpringerLink. Web. 5 Oct 2011.
Mitchell, Stephen A. “The Origin and Nature of the „Object‟ in the Theories of Klein and
Fairbarn.” Contemporary Psychoanalysis, Vol. 17, No. 3 1981:374-398. New York:
W.A.W Institute, 1981. William Alanson White Institute. Web. 20 Sept 2011.
Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Bungay, Suffolk: Richard Clay Ltd, 1987. Print.
Ryan, Michael. Literary Theory: A Practical Introduction. Malden, MA: Blackwell
Publishing, 1999. Print.
Stenlöv 22
Schapiro, Barbara A., “The Bonds of Love and the Boundaries of Self in Toni Morrison‟s
„Beloved‟” (1992): 193-210. Faculty Publications, Paper 205.
Digital Commons @ RIC. Web. 20 Sep 2011.
Schultz, Duane, P., and Sydney, Ellen Schultz. A History of Modern Psychology. 9th edition
2008. Belmont, CA, USA: Thomson Higher Education, 2008. Print.
Vaillant, George E. Ego Mechanisms of Defense: A Guide for Clinicians and Researchers.
1st ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc., 1992. Print.
Washington, Teresa N. “The Mother-Daughter Àjé Relationship in Toni Morrison‟s Beloved.”
African American Review, Vol. 39 No. 1-2, 1 March 2005:177-178. St. Louis, MO,
2005. Find Articles. Web. 20 Oct 2011.